New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-09
lie NoMME W

Became known " sorntrv are commonly designated
murderers ~ and Obtain consideration IN plehIv'
FxtennatinG circumstances alse vu srV mt
ssfgensrabIfs1w which my brother and wece accused
me oIlanybat admitted Of no palhation, the mere
asyyrion oil which placed Us at once oeyonu I,o
susPp ns native sympathy; converted Il prQcaToM
pale u n az other times have been gentleman,
Ean rongh bureaucrdt and conlured up apout us us
afuCedmean crop OF revoivers and letters o"o''
V9 Hbont the middle of that December we We're a.
Pan The early part OF the winter III tne uistlIos
had been exceptionally MID we mau Sassss and
9eeks in exploring the better known passes anu
yaileys of the Hautes Pyrenees. and now proposed
90 make orr way to Biarritz by aroundaOout roaa
tSrnngb tbe forest of Iraty, Wild and interesting
part OF the French Basque country AccoTdnsSS
ge sent our heavy baggage by rail to Blarrltz ana
started ourselves after lunoh on te i4tn 1y
and light pack railway rug, two light overcoa,sSi
and two walking sticks. The weather was fine ana
bright tGOpgG a ella hnd ris1 IN
&t 0oron station we sought out the diligence Ior
rdets We intended to SseP sna' th view to
maxim an early start on foot next morning. Inc
diI,rence discovered we put our slight baggage
inside and asked for two places men o for ba
an-horr. we told the driver TO PICK us up by tne
way, and started bltheiy-unwitting lambs as We
were-to stir our blood by Drlsk WAX SOhg tns
With French manners is to DO bclieved-thls was
The cause Of all our woe! To pay for ride ana then
walk hs 90 Gf% the TO b saS for an
non of the most Observation-Disclosures. We paid ~
ride we walked. From that moment the eYeo
the French law saw In us German spies
once clear of Oloron, we strobe aloog merrly,
not,ng the softer character OF the landscape aud
admiring the rolling hills and woods, until the
ward remember without hesitation. and greeted
sI "T bu rTddy
weli-setup man of iddle.heiGht. wearing.a cooked
hat and uniform OF dark blue faced with white. OF
the kind worn by the gendarpes He sported
ppaulettes however and profusion of silver lace.
with decoration and medal, and handsome
sword; go that did not set him down either Is an
ordinary gendarme Ia conclusion to which my
brother had comelor as that which he was In fact
brigader Of that force l did not know what he
Dt g nm
however, accepted my offer and we fell into a
disultory conversation. To what place were we
eoingi What was our nationality What cigarettes
were they Had we come from Pau. What was our
purpose in visiting that part of the country All
these questions our smart friend asked, and | who
suspicion that was being INTERCEPTED with a
purpose. We were English, SAID, travelling for
pleasure. and going to Tardets: we had come from
Pau our cigarettes wore of Egyptian manufacture.
After this wearied by the rattlng of The omnibus
and the strain which the use of foreign tongue
mrerec knowa glad to ISL into
my letter case to see II had any heaters skin.
And, my brother calling my attention to the sun:
the highest peak in sight being the Pic du Midi
dOssau. on whose shoulder, elk thousand feet
above the sea. we had been some weeks before.
street of small village. Near at hand, and
apparently awaiting It, stood gendarme. The
brisadier stepping out nimoy exchanged. as 81
road. The gendarme came to the door LooS
here" exclaimed my brother, he has left thisw
Srsader had left in his place he handed it to the
cendarme, telling him that the monsieur" had
left i.
" Certainly !" we answered:
@Then you descend here. This is Tardets." We
Tardets before half-past o. But We had no
suspicious and thanking him cordially. we alighted
The gepdar%e pointed ont the nm very poor
to ask for bedroom when be interviewed. opening
the door Of room down stairs, and inviting us by
" that we had fallen into trap. Before us,
looki.g very stern and incorporating, stood the |
briga Ter: behind US we heard the door slammed TO
=" This is not Tardets, but Aramits" the brigader
SAID harshly. al wish to ask you some questions:
you answer them Satisfactorily you shall proceed
Oh Your journey, gentlemen"
Then he began by asking. as be sat down at the
table before Us, what was my name. l told him.
ava that had passport which he produced not
ot the kind Ii was in English, and our inquisitor
knew nothing OF that Language. Despite his |
dfc0ra tons ana cpouIereS NOJ VITO WIN
facility. could not spell AZ oil. and suspect could
read but little lie ponnced upon the word Majesty.
snd persisted for some time that that was my name.
Then the passport, although countersgncd for |
gpqin and italy bore no French vse Rejecting il, |
therefore, he proceeded 10 put 10 me, in tone |
which grew more lOud ana imperious ca n minute,
series of questions. lIo asked ny name. national
ity and Profession where had entered France:
how long had been in the country how long ! |
proIo.ed 10 stay in u; what was my OBJECT
night--the ncXt-and the nextY Then came my
brother's turn. our inquistor's tone growing moro
bin b. N b0m-ike each minute. lie disregardel /
our protestatiOus that he spoke too quickly, and |
that we did not understand oil he said and telling
rs that we had spoken French exccllently in the
diligence. paid MS the only compliment which
passed 1t the interview.
snow. attend to m4w he cried presently, passing
from examination-in-chief to crossexanination.
sWhy did you when Won we're about ~ enter the
vehicle show hesitation at sight OF me-of me-thc
/ laughed outright. The idea that should
shrink at sight of even superintendent Of police
seemed TO me, being an Englishman and not an
FrenchmaD. funny in the extreme.
. Why did you tell me In the diligence that you
were Belgians Answer me that y And he thumped
the table
SNery well ~ in a menacing accent. "WhY did
you tell me that You were friends, not brothersr
81 did not tell you So"
9What You said you were Belglans. That is
aNOl no now
Where is the map which You consulted in the
digencef"
= had no map in the diligence"
= You took something from your pocket. and
examined il: Produce it.
i handed to him tiny packet containing gold
beaiels skin. He looked at 10 cnrlously almost
earinllv. He consulted the gendarme abont it,
is held II up to the light Finally he put it care
sAnd now the map BE quick! The map I sayw
be reared.
. The only map we have Is an authorized French
MAJ that OF the Etaf-mdj0r. But 1t is in the KNAPP
sack. We did not have it in the diligence. The
klapsack was in the care of the driver"
You had a pencil. You made a map Of the
country as you came I"
a. ~ hed no pencil. / made map. I do not
I. You made signs"
AZ this shrugged my shoulders, and exchanged
giance of wonder with my brother-making signs
lgan. You see